


Unlikely Friends

by stars28



Category: Supernatural
Genre: Angst, Friendship, Gen
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-02-23
Updated: 2015-06-29
Packaged: 2018-03-14 19:28:18
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 3
Words: 10,671
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/3422843
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/stars28/pseuds/stars28
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>When Dean's Mummy burns on the ceiling, he doesn't believe in angels. If they were real, wouldn't they have stopped her from burning? (Dean/Gabriel friendship)</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Part One: 4 Years to 17 Years Old.

When Dean went to sleep each night, his Mum always told him that angels were watching over him. At four years old, he believed her unconditionally – she was his Mum, Mum's knew everything.

However, when Dean's family home got burned down, and he had to run out of the house carrying little Sammy, he believed her a little less.

If angels were watching over him, why didn't they stop Mummy burning?

* * *

By the time Dean was six, he'd begun to talk to someone other than Sammy again. He'd talked to his Dad just that morning.

"Hello."

Dad looked up from the newspaper in shock and moved his mouth silently.

"What Daddy?" He said, confused. Why was Daddy making no noise?

"Y-you spoke Deano," Dad said, "You spoke."

Dean smiled, cautiously. He didn't know what Dad was going to do.

"Can you talk to me again?"

"About what?" He said, tilting his head.

"How about Sammy?"

And Dean talked and talked about his little brother, until said brother woke up and began to scream in the other room. Their Dad went and got him, balancing little Sam on his lap.

"Sam, Dean's talking again." Dad said, smiling at Dean.

Sam waved his arms around and made gurgling noises happily. Dean smiled, laughing.

* * *

When Dean was ten, he was deemed responsible enough to look after Sam by himself while his Dad went on a hunt.

"And remember, look after Sam." His Dad said firmly, while double-checking the gun in his duffel.

"Yes Dad." Dean said, looking at Dad with admiration. He wanted to be a hunter when he grew up! It looked cool! And he would get to use a gun, which was – to him – the best part.

"Bye boys," Dad said, giving him and Sammy a brief hug each, and then walking to the door, "I'll see you when I get back."

"Bye Dad!" Sam shouted.

Dean heard the Impala's engine turn on and then the sound of its tires crunching on the parking lots' gravel. The sound of the engine faded away into the distance and Dean turned to his brother.

"So, what d'you wanna do?" He asked, looking at Sam.

His brother scrunched up his face, his hair flopping his eyes as he thought hard, and then said, "Watch TV!"

Dean smiled, that was easy enough to do. He walked over to the TV in the corner of the motel room and turned it on. Grabbing the remote, he sat down, pulling Sam on to his lap, and turned the channel to something more appropriate for Sam.

* * *

_Loki was travelling across the country, doling out just desserts to people who deserved it, when he came across two little boys watching TV in a motel room. He decided to stay and watch for a while. He told himself it was because there was a traitor in this backward town, who was cheating on his wife with his assistant, and not because he was curious about the elder boy._

_He always was good at lying to himself._

* * *

_Two days of watching the elder boy – Dean – look after the younger – Sam – later, an older man entered the motel room, looking tired and, when Loki looked closer, had specks of blood on his clothes. Dean had put Sam to bed an hour earlier, and so he wasn't disturbed by the older man._

_Loki prepared himself in case this new man posed a threat to either boy. It was stupid, he knew, to form an attachment to humans, when they were here and gone again within a blink of an eye in his lifetime, but it was a fault he'd had ever since he ran away from Michael and Lucifer fighting. He suspected it would be one he would always have._

_But to Loki's surprise, Dean threw his arms around the older man, saying, "Daddy! You're back!"_

_So this man was their Dad? Interesting._

_"Yeah, I am buddy," The older man said, wincing as he lifted Dean up after putting the duffel on the floor, "Good to see you."_

_Loki was aware that no one had been punished since the cheating wife two days ago, and it was all because of these boys. He popped out of the motel room, vowing to check in on them at some point._

* * *

Dean was packing his things into his duffel bag. His clothes got folded up to the best of his ability, and his other things – the few dilapidated books he owned, the knife his Dad had given him for his last birthday, and his very own journal like Dad's that Uncle Bobby had given him – went on top.

They were moving on to the next monster – a 'shifter, according to Daddy – and it was in Dickinson, which was in North Dakota.

He dragged his packed duffel along the floor to the side of the door, where his Dad's already was.

"Well done Deano," Dad said, smiling, "Would you entertain Sam while I pack his bag and put them in the car?"

"Yeah sure."

* * *

_Loki was in South Carolina, tricking a woman into losing all her life savings. It was harsh yes, but the crime – she had misled other people into doing the same thing – was just as harsh. He snapped a cherry-red lollipop into existence, and sucked on it as he watched her face drain of colour when she realised that all her money in her bank account was gone._

_He chuckled, and then thought about the brothers. Loki had spent about two months away from them and he thought about Dean and Sam a lot during that time, trying to persuade himself that he didn't have to go back._

_But of course, he did._

_They were in another motel room that was remarkably similar to the last one he'd seen them in. It had the same layout – two double beds, a small table with three chairs, a kitchenette in the opposite corner to the TV and a shabby door leading to the tiny bathroom._

_Dean was watching TV with Sam on his knee, whilst steadily feeding his brother store-brand cornflakes._

_Loki thought that as Dean was constantly looking after Sam, he deserved a treat. He snapped his fingers and a moderately sized basket of sweets appeared next to the door as a knock on the door was heard._

* * *

Dean looked up from feeding Sammy, and got up, walking over to the table and putting Sam on the chair. He put the dish and spoon on the table.

"Feed yourself for a minute Sam?" He said, picking up his knife from out of his duffel, and flipping it between his fingers.

"Yeah!" His brother said, plunging his fingers into the bowl and putting them in his mouth.

Dean grimaced, he would have to wash Sam up later. But for now, the intruder at the door had to be dealt with.

The door was knocked on again. He hurried towards it, holding his knife in his right hand and reaching forward for the doorknob with his left. He twisted it, and opened it quickly, springing out and looking around.

There was no one there. Dean's eyebrows wrinkled together as he spotted the basket of sweets on the floor near the door. How had they got there? And who had left them there?

Slowly, still mulling over the basket of sweets in his hands, Dean closed the door and turned to look at Sam, who was still eating his cornflakes.

"Sweets!" Sam said, abandoning his cornflakes in favour of his brother's basket of sweets.

"Yeah Sammy, sweets." Dean chuckled, ruffling Sam's hair as he placed the basket on the table. He sunk into a chair, and prevented Sam from eating them all.

"Which ones do you want to save for Daddy?" He asked when they'd had their fill.

"These ones!" Sam picked several out of the basket and gave them to Dean.

"Ok then," Dean said, putting them to one side where his brother couldn't get them, "Bath time now."

"But Dean, I'm clean!" Sam protested and waved his sticky hands around.

He picked Sam up and walked over to the bathroom, saying, "I don't think so Sammy."

* * *

_Their Dad – John, Loki had found out his name – was back from his hunt. It had been a shapeshifter, an easy enough hunt for an experienced hunter like John. Not that Loki had kept tabs on the boys' father and had been ready to intervene if needed. He didn't care for them that much. (Or so he told himself.)_

_He watched as John entered the room quietly, not waking his sons, and stripping off his clothes in the bathroom. After his shower, John passed into the room and smiled at the sight of Sam and Dean curled up together on the double bed furthest from the door. Even so, Loki noticed that Dean was on the side of the bed nearest to the door. He was always protecting his little brother, even in sleep. Loki didn't have to look under Dean's pillow to know that there was a knife under it._

_John pressed a quick kiss to each boys' forehead before heading to the tiny kitchenette, trying for the sake of his sons to be quiet. Loki watched as John smiled somewhat sadly at the sight of the sweets in the basket he'd left for Dean earlier. Tears sprung to the oldest Winchester's eyes as he read the note scrawled by Dean._

_Loki moved so he could also see the note. It read:_

_"To Daddy,_  
We got fese sweets and fout you wood want some.  
From Dean and Sam."

_John obviously appreciated the note more than the actual sweets, given the way he was clutching the note, Loki noted. He had originally meant for the sweets to be a treat for Dean, but it had ended up benefitting the whole Winchester family._

_It was nice, he thought, as he popped out of the room to exact his own particular type of justice on an unsuspecting person, to be nice to someone. It gave him an odd feeling in the pit of his stomach._

* * *

Dean was twelve, and there were CPS workers knocking at the door. They had been informed by the school that they were going to that they were living 'alone, on the edge of town.' Which was true, he guessed, but even so, it gave them no right to take Sammy away. With his Dad on a hunt in the next state over for the next three days.

He'd tied up the best he could, and made sure Sam was showered and fed, telling him to do his homework. How his brother could do homework when Dean was rushing around, trying to neaten the place up so they didn't get split up, he would never know.

Taking a deep breath and putting a bright smile on his face, Dean went to open the doors.

"Hello," He said, looking between the two women on his doorstep, "Can I help you?"

"Yes, we were told by the school that you and your brother are living here alone," The taller woman said, "May we come in?"

"I guess so." He said, stepping to the side and allowing the women to enter.

"Where is your brother?"

"Sammy!" Dean yelled behind him. Footsteps were heard on the stairs and then Dean's brother appeared at the bottom.

"Hey Dean, who are these?"

Dean quietly mumbled, "CPS," to Sam before smiling brightly at the women and saying, "Would you like some coffee? Or tea?"

"That would be nice of you." The red-haired one said.

Dean walked behind Sam and in front of the CPS women, always protecting his brother, even if it was against the CPS.

* * *

_Loki was wandering through the USA when he thought he might check up on Dean and see how he was. In a split second, he was inside the Winchester's rented house, and instantly, he went on high alert. Who were those women in the kitchen, drinking from a cup each? And why were they here?_

_He decided to get a closer look, and walked closer, so he was able to hear the conversation and have a quick look into these women's heads. He wasn't supposed to do that, but whatever. He was Loki, he could do what he liked._

_As he probed their minds, he could see that they had been sent by Winchesters' school, probably well-meaning, but it wasn't at all. He felt a shiver go up his spine, these women were from the CPS without a doubt. They'd try to split Dean and Sam up because Sam was the cute one that people liked and Dean was the trouble-making one._

_"So Dean," The red-haired one asked, "Where's your Dad?"_

_"He's working." Dean replied, with a fake grin. Loki could tell that he wanted the CPS women to leave._

_"And when will he be back?" She continued, sipping her drink._

_"He'll be back tonight!" Sam answered with puppy-day eyes._

_"Will he?"_

_"Yeah, he will."_

_Loki felt the need to protect the Winchesters, and so he caused both women's mobile to go off with a call. He watched as they answered them, their faces going from laid-back to concerned and worried._

_"I'm sorry, but we have to go now." The red-headed one said, standing up and beginning to walk out of the kitchen, with the other CPS woman behind her._

_Dean jumped up from his chair, "I'll see you out."_

_Loki watched as Dean waved the CPS women off. He then followed Dean back inside, where Sam was waiting for him. Dean, not Loki. They didn't know that the Trickster was looking after them. Loki paused mid-step, since when did he_ care _for the boys? The realisation was enough for him to stop in the hallway, letting Dean enter and talk to Sam._

* * *

Dean was so relieved that the CPS had gone that he said to Sam that they would treat themselves to a meal out. Even so, it would have to be cheap, they didn't have _that_ much money. But still, a meal out.

"A meal out?" His brother said sceptically, raising an eyebrow.

Dean nodded, wincing internally at the state of their finances, but smiled nonetheless, saying, "Yeah Sammy, a meal out."

"Cool!"

* * *

_Loki decided to follow the boys when they went out for tea. He trailed behind them as they walked slowly towards the local café, listening to Sam chatter to his older brother. Dean was laughing and nodding along with Sam._

_When they sat down opposite each other in a booth near the back, he saw Dean do a quick glance over the few patrons that were in the café and pat his pocket where Loki knew there was a knife. Loki decided to sit next to Dean, even if he couldn't see Loki._

_He stayed there as the two ordered their meals. Loki noticed that Dean had gone for the one that was cheapest, letting Sam have the slightly more expensive meal and well, he couldn't let that happen, so he went to the kitchen. After changing Dean's order to a bigger version of the thing he'd ordered, he went back to the boys._

_By the time the Winchester's meals had come, Loki had finally accepted that he cared for these boys. He supposed, that by default, that meant he cared for John as well, but his main focus was Dean and Sam._

_He wasn't afraid to admit that._

* * *

He was seventeen, and Dean was in the Impala, racing down the freeway. His Dad was driving and Sam was in the back, reading a book. Dean didn't know exactly how his brother always had a different book to read, though he suspected that Sam swapped them with charity shops. It wouldn't surprise him.

"Hey Dad?" Sam said.

"Yeah kiddo?"

Dean smiled, Dad only called them 'kiddo' when he was in a good mood.

"Where are we going?"

"Well," Their Dad began matter-of-factly, "We've got a wendigo in South Dakota that's vaguely near Bobby's so I'm dropping you off there before I go and begin the search."

"Bobby's?" Dean said in dismay, "I thought I was coming with you on the hunt?"

Dad laughed, "You are Dean. We're dropping Sammy off and then we're going for the wendigo."

"Yes!" Dean shouted, pumping a fist in the air.

* * *

_Seeing as Dean had gone on a hunt with his Dad, Loki had thought it wise (and there was a word he'd never thought he'd used in relation to himself) to keep an eye on them. As they drove away from Bobby's after saying goodbye to Sam, he followed, sitting in the backseat when Sam had been and listening to eldest Winchesters talk about the case._

* * *

Dean was on a case with his Dad. This was the best moment of his life. So far at any rate. He lifted the gun he'd been given and shot at the wendigo, aiming carefully at the wendigo's chest. All his efforts did was divert its attention away from Dad to him. It snarled menacingly and began to step towards him. He gulped and prepared to run for it, but then, out of nowhere, the wendigo caught fire, lighting up from the inside out.

Dean stared in shock. He hadn't done anything, nor had his Dad.

When the wendigo was burnt and buried, he asked his Dad. "W-what happened?"

"I – I don't know Dean," Dad replied, shaking his head in silent wonder, "I don't know."

* * *

_If Loki had had known that Dean was almost going to_ die _on his first hunt, then he would've stopped the second eldest Winchester from going. He would've done something –_ anything – _to stop Dean getting hurt. Even showing himself to the Winchesters._

_It was only then, as he watched Dean slide into the standard hard motel bed and fall asleep, that he realised quite_ how _much he'd cared for the Winchesters._


	2. Part Two: 18 Years to 24 Years Old.

Dean was eighteen today, and it didn't feel any different to a normal day. Sure, Sam had given him a present (a book on werewolves, which Dean suspected Bobby gave to him), but he was still expected to do all the things he had to do on a normal day: wash the Impala, clean the guns, take Sam to and from school, research the hunt.

But he had to shake these thoughts off, the hunt in this town was _important_. He couldn't get down and not do the job just because nothing in particular had happened on his birthday.

* * *

_Loki knew it was Dean's birthday and had decided to do something special for him, seeing as John hadn't. He'd paid attention when Sam had given him the present he'd gotten from Bobby. Dean had been pleased, saying thanks to Sam and hugging him tight._

_He'd decided to go simple with Dean's newfound favourite cafe suddenly having a surprise for the hundredth customer – which Dean just happened to be, nothing to do with Loki of course._

_He watched, silent and invisible, as Dean entered the cafe and was surprised when the waitress announced that he was the hundredth customer and as such would be getting a free meal._

_Loki felt his work here was done and vanished from the cafe._

* * *

Dean had to admit that it was weird that the hundredth customer this café just happened to be him, but as he ate his free meal, he wasn't complaining. Now that he thought about it, similar things had happened on previous birthdays.

On his seventeenth birthday, there had been a small basket of sweets and a really sharp knife next to his bed when he'd woken up. At the time, Dean had shrugged it off as Sam being nice to him and his Dad helping. But maybe there was something else at work.

When he'd turned ten, there had been a newish looking book – _Swallows and Amazons_ , if he remembered correctly – sitting on his bedside table. At the time, he'd just thought that it had been his brother.

But what if it wasn't?

* * *

_Loki thought as Dean had clearly clued on to the fact that there was something – dare he say_ supernatural _– he may as well show himself to the young hunter. But this would take a careful plan, to, if nothing else, make sure that Dean didn't try to kill him. He didn't want that._

_None of the supernatural things that Dean and John wanted to die, but it happened anyway. And besides, Loki said to himself, other supernatural beings were always trying to harm one of the Winchesters. He'd never done that – in fast he'd saved Dean on his first hunt – so he thought that he'd be ok._

_If Dean let him explain._

* * *

Dean finished his free meal and then went out to the Impala, which he was borrowing from his Dad for the day. When he got to his car, he stopped in astonishment. It was positively gleaming in the sunlight. Someone had cleaned it. Why had they done that?

"What the hell?" He said to himself, opening the boot to check that his weapons were still in the concealed compartment. They were and he breathed a sigh of relief. God knows that Dad would have killed him if he'd somehow managed to let their – _altered and probably illegal_ – weapons cache get stolen. And not just figuratively either, probably quite literally. Dad had the tools to do it, so death threats could quite easily become a reality.

Deciding to appreciate the car being shiny – scarily shiny – Dean drove from the cafés car park whilst thinking about how something nice always happened on his birthday.

* * *

_"Hello Dean." Loki said, appearing in the Impala's passenger seat._

_The car swerved violently, coming to a screeching stop at the side of the dirt road. Luckily, there were no other cars in front or behind the car, so it was alright for Dean to go off the road without indicating._

_"Who the hell are you?" Dean asked, glaring at him._

_"Loki," He replied calmly, sucking on the red lollipop he'd made appear out of thin air, "Otherwise known as the Trickster."_

_"W-what?"_

_"Yes, yes I know. I'm the Trickster. What is he doing in my car?"_

_"Yeah, why are you in my car?"_

_"Because Dean Winchester," Loki said slowly, wanting to only say this once, "I've been looking after you since you were ten years old, and I suppose Sam as well. By extension."_

_"But what_ are _you? You're obviously not human."_

_"You_ are _right of course – your Daddy taught you well – but I can't tell you that yet."_

_"Why not?"_

_"Because you have to go and do research for your Daddy, don't you?"_

_"Well…yes. But how do you know that?"_

_Loki laughed softly, "I'm the Trickster. I pride myself on being able to guess things."_

_Of course, he wasn't_ just _the Trickster, but he wouldn't let Dean know that. Not yet anyway._

* * *

What. The. Hell. Had. Just. Happened.

A trickster had appeared in his car, told him that he was 'looking after him' and then disappeared.

Dean blinked, tried and failed to get his head around it, and then decided that this was a topic best left for later on, when he didn't have things to do.

* * *

_Loki smiled, Dean would come to learn that having a Trickster would be so very useful to him._

_But it would take careful preparation and trust before that happened._

_And Loki supposed he would just have to be patient._

* * *

By the time Dean had turned twenty, he and Loki had formed a friendship. He was glad of that, even if the rocky start had been well, _rocky_ , due to Dean not entirely believing that angels – Loki/Gabriel had come clean about his archangel status after a while – could exist. Demons, ghosts, shapeshifts, ghouls, yes. But angels? That was pushing it, even for Dean, who, by the age of eighteen, had seen everything that his Dad hunted on a regular basis. But they had got past that start and become friends, even if Dean didn't like to verbally admit it. Though, Loki had no problem, often using the fact to make Dean bluster and deny it.

* * *

_There were nights, when Sam and John were arguing about Sam's Stanford acceptance letter, their screams loud enough to be heard from the other end of the motel, when Dean went to the Impala and drove. Loki always knew that Dean needed a little bit of time to 'save face', so he never appeared as the car purred out of the parking lot. Loki liked to appear in the passenger seat of the well-loved car that had, by now, been passed down to Dean from John when he'd given Dean some time to relax._

_"Hey Dean." He said, smiling as Dean jumped a little. He found it fascinating that the man hadn't got used to his habit of popping into existence. It was a human thing, Loki decided as he snapped a lollipop into existence, offering it to Dean and shrugging, popping the red lolly in his mouth when his friend refused. (And wasn't that odd? To be calling a human his friend? His brothers in Heaven would be having a fit, spouting stuff like "You're getting too close" and "Gabriel, you're going to have to wipe his memory of you". But his brothers weren't aware of his whereabouts, he'd left them in the lurch just disappearing when Michael and Lucifer were fighting. Though, in all honesty, Loki thought that they hadn't noticed until the fighting had stopped.)_

_"Hey Loki." Dean said, glancing at him before focusing on the road lit up by the Impala's headlights again._

_Loki thought it funny that, despite knowing his true form, Dean continued to call him by his Trickster name. But he wasn't complaining, far from it, he actually preferred it. It made him think about his time on Earth, observing mankind from a distance, rather than thinking about the fighting that was undoubtedly (still) going on in Heaven._

_"How are you?" Loki asked, carefully watching Dean's reaction while sucking on his lollipop._

_Dean sighed heavily, his shoulders slumping as he replied, "It's just Sam. And Dad. Arguing over Sam's Stanford letter. Again. For the fiftieth time this week."_

_Fortunately, after having been Dean's friend for so long, Loki could see through the sarcasm that Dean put up and into the hurt feelings that lay underneath, so he could help him._

_"I've told you about my brothers who were always fighting, haven't I?" Loki said, staring aimlessly out of the front window, watching the tarmac go under the car, "And that was…painful, seeing them rip into each other, which was why I had to get out of there. Much like you keep doing. I can't say I blame you either."_

_"Yeah," Dean swallowed, "Well, seeing Sam and Dad tear into each other. When they get made, they don't pay attention to what they're saying, mainly cause they don't listen to each other, but, but I do. And fuck!" He slapped a palm against the Impala's steering wheel, "It kills me, some of the things they say to each other. So I just run. Even if it's only for a little while._

* * *

By the time Dean got back to the motel room, Sam was on his side of their shared bed and Dad was out. Dean assumed that he'd gone to the nearest bar. He asked his brother as he got undressed and got a short, surly _"Of course. Where else would he be?"_ as an answer. He thought that Sam was still in a bad mood from fighting with their Dad and that it was probably best if he left Sam until tomorrow.

"Night." He said, trying to be pleasant even if Sam wasn't in a good mood.

"Night Dean."

As he drifted off to sleep, Dean wondered if they had even _noticed_ him leaving. He hoped vaguely that they had. It'd be nice.

* * *

_Loki sighed sadly. He was becoming more and more used to that feeling since becoming friends with Dean Winchester, and he didn't used to be familiar with it, but now, now he was. He was sad that Dean had thoughts like the one he'd had about if his family had notice him leaving in the Impala._

_He wanted to do something about the fighting – for Dean's sake – but didn't know where to start. Maybe watching the oldest and youngest Winchesters while they fought would help._

_Yes, that is what he would do._

* * *

The next day, after Sam had stormed out having had yet _another_ argument with their father, Dean went to the Impala to find Loki sitting in the passenger seat. Quickly, Dean ran back into their motel room, saying something like, _"Going after Sam!"_ to his Dad as he left the room, his leather jacket in his hand and his gun clutched in his other. He never went anywhere without either item.

As Dean set off, the car's tires squealing a little on the tarmac, Loki began to talk. About the fight that had just ended. Between Sam and Dad.

"It seems your Dad and brother were fighting again,"

Dean interrupted, scoffing, "Yeah, no need to tell me that."

"Well, they were arguing over Sam's letter. You know the one. About Sam going to Stanford. And one thing struck me."

"Oh yeah? And what was that?"

"That your Dad was scared for your brother."

Dean was aware of the blood rushing in his ears, but he didn't take his eyes off the road as he answered, "Y-yeah?"

Out of the corner of his eye, Dean saw Loki nod once and then listened to Loki's explanation in silence.

"Well yeah. Cause Sam's not gonna be around for your Dad to look after if he goes to Stanford," Loki said calmly, "And that makes John scared. Sam's just pissed that your Dad won't listen to him, when in fact, John _is_ listening to him but won't let Sam know that."

"Wow," Dean said, momentarily forgetting about the reason he was driving, "I'm impressed, you know them as well as I do."

Loki shrugged, "Eh. It's not hard. I _have_ been watching your entire family since you were ten years old. And yes, that does include your Dad."

Dean blinked, he was surprised by the amount of honesty he'd heard in Loki's voice. He decided not to mention it though, instead saying, "Any idea where Sam might be?"

"You know him the best."

"Helpful." Dean said, sarcastically, mock-glaring at Loki.

Loki laughed.

* * *

_Loki was glad he was friends with Dean Winchester. Why? Because the hunter made him feel…whole. In a way that he hadn't felt since before Michael and Lucifer started fighting, when all his brothers were co-existing peacefully. And that was odd, but he couldn't say that he wasn't glad of Dean._

_He really, truly was._

_And he meant it._

_It was why he kept protecting John Winchester from the things they hunted, but only when he needed it. Loki knew that it would break Dean into pieces if John got seriously hurt. It was why he tried to stop the fights that were happening with alarming regularity between John and Sam in any way possible. He could see the strain that Dean had started to unconsciously carry in the set of his shoulders, even if John and Sam didn't. He couldn't help but be curious as to_ why _they hadn't noticed. It was as clear as day to Loki._

_He thought that maybe John was too wrapped up in hunting for Mary's killer (and Loki knew it was a demon, just not which one) and Sam was too focused on the fact that he was going to Stanford._

_It made him want to show himself to them and scare them into seeing what they were doing to Dean._

_But Loki couldn't, not when he was in hiding from Heaven. He also thought that if John knew his eldest son –_ the perfect little solider _– was associating with an archangel and Trickster almost every day then he would find himself killed in the most painful way possible._

_And he couldn't leave Dean, not when he was so close to combusting._

* * *

Dean was outside their motel room, listening to Dad and Sam scream at each other. He'd lost count of how many times he'd done this over the past few weeks, and honestly he could care less about staring at the dark parking lot. He'd done the same thing in various different states. It was boring. But if they continued to fight, then Dean would have to get out of the way because if he didn't, he would be dragged into the argument. Both of them would want him to back him up: Dad for his side of the argument – that Sam's safest with them, where they can _protect_ him – and Sam's argument that he should be allowed to something _normal._

He guessed it could be worse. It could be raining.

He reached into his pocket as a car's headlights lit up as it flew passed and felt for the cigarette he'd slipped in there. He knew he shouldn't, but the temptation was there. And it might just let him forget the fighting. For like, five minutes.

As Dean dug for the lighter that he constantly carried with him, he heard a voice say, "You shouldn't smoke you know. It'll kill you."

Only hunter's reflexes stopped him from pulling his gun out at the voice. He recognised it. It was Loki.

"Loki," Dean said flippantly, as he lit the cigarette and let the smoke escape upwards into the atmosphere, "Like you'd care."

The archangel's answered surprised Dean.

"I do care though. A lot. I find it surprising that your family," Loki nodded towards the sound of the fighting, "Hasn't noticed how much pressure they're putting on you."

"You _can't_ tell them," Dean said firmly, flickering ash off the end of his cigarette, "You _can't_."

Loki sighed, "Yes, I know. But it's not good for you Dean."

"I don't _care_. Dad has enough things to worry about. Like Sammy leaving."

* * *

_Loki fought the urge to shake Dean by the shoulders. This kind of attitude wasn't going to get his friend anywhere, but there was nothing he could do about it. Not now._

* * *

"Where are we?" Dean asked in confusion. They weren't in the motel parking lot in the most recent Winchester residence anymore. In fact, Dean didn't recognise it at all.

"We," Loki said with a smirk, "Are in Hawaii."

Dean raised an eyebrow, "Hawaii?"

"Hawaii."

"Why? And will Sam and Dad notice I'm gone?"

Loki laughed as he answered, "No, they won't because I'll deposit you right before I took you, if that makes any sense."

Dean nodded, "Sort of yeah. But anyway, why the hell _are_ we in Hawaii?"

"Because you, my friend," Loki replied, snapping a lollipop into existence with a click and beginning to suck on it, "Need to relax for a bit."

"And what if I don't want to?"

"Then I'll take you back to Sam and John, but I don't think you want to go back to the fighting just yet, do you?"

Dean's shoulders fell and he conceded defeat; he didn't want to go back to his brother and father yelling at each other. He said, "Fine whatever."

* * *

_Loki grinned, he knew that Dean would come over to his side eventually. It took less time than he'd estimated it would, which surprised him. But he could care less about how long it took – today, he wanted Dean to relax, even if it wasn't for long. He figured that, if this went well, then he could get Dean to do it more often._

* * *

It was bizarre to Dean that, when Loki deposited him back with his family, he was feeling relaxed for the first time in a very long time. As he walked into the motel room, he swept his eyes around the room, immediately noticing that Sam's backpack wasn't on the chair where he'd left it.

"Where's Sam?" He asked his Dad, who looking through papers that Dean was assuming to be research on their next hunt.

"Walking to Stanford." Dad grunted, unaware of how worried that made Dean.

"From _here?!"_ Dean exclaimed, shocked that his Dad would've let his brother do something like that.

"Yeah."

It didn't take more than a second for Dean to make his decision; he was going after Sam. No matter what Dad said. He picked up the Impala's keys and his leather jacket before exiting the motel room. He ignored his Dad's shouts for him to _'come back right now!'_ ; he was finding Sam.

As Dean climbed into the driver's seat of the Impala, he wasn't surprised to find Loki in the passenger seat. All he said was, "You know, when we find Sam, you'll have to go invisible?"

"Yeah, yeah. I will."

"Ok," Dean replied, "Can you er…find him?"

Loki sighed, "Yeah, sure," He then closed his eyes for a moment and then said, "He hasn't got far. Onto main street and then left, near the coffee shop."

"Ok!"

* * *

_Watching as Dean picked up his brother and talk to him made Loki think about his own brothers. About whether they missed him as much as he missed them. Yes, Loki missed his brothers, even if they did fight all the time. They were his_ brothers! _Of course he missed them!_

_As Dean told Sam that he was going to drive him to the bus station, Loki left the car. He couldn't deal with how happy the two Winchester brothers were. Not when he'd ran away from his own._

* * *

Dean was twenty two and Loki had cleaned the Impala with a snap of his fingers at his request.

"Man, this is really shiny," He said, walking around the Impala and admiring it from all angles, "You did a good job Loki."

Loki shrugged, "I'm an angel. What d'you expect?"

"Fair point."

* * *

_Loki was pleased that Dean liked his gift to him because he was planning to prank the next motel room the elder Winchester. He thought it would take his mind off Sam being at Stanford for a little bit._

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'm planning a third part, so let me know what you think of this part!
> 
> Please? :D


	3. Part Three: 25 Years Old

When Dean turned twenty-five, his Dad finally agreed to let him go on a hunt by himself. But Dean knew he wouldn't really be alone, he'd have Loki to keep him company. His Dad didn't know that though, and that was the way it was going to stay. Unless he wanted Dad to start hunting Loki, and needless to say that he didn't want his friend to be hunted.

"Where are we going?" Loki asked from his place in the passenger seat of the Impala.

"Tampa, Florida." Dean answered shortly, concentrating on pulling out into the traffic and beginning the drive away from his Dad. It felt strange, splitting away from his Dad. "Got a werewolf case, from what Dad's told me."

"D'you know who it is?"

Dean shook his head, "No, but we've got a couple of people without hearts in a similar part of town, so I'm – _we're_ – going to investigate."

"I'm involved?"

Dean laughed at the surprise in Loki's voice and said, "Course you are! An archangel – even if you can't do any mojo kinda thing is useful – in any hunt. Besides you're my partner now."

_Now that Sam and Dad are gone,_ went unsaid, but Dean knew that Loki could hear it in the empty silence that filled the car.

"Put a tape in would ya?"

The sound of Metallica filled up the empty silence, and for that, Dean was glad.

* * *

_The rain was lashing down on the windows of the motel Dean had chosen for the duration of their stay in Tampa, and as Loki didn't necessarily_ need _sleep, he was staring out at the rain, watching it soak the Impala._

_Funny how that car and Dean had become some sort of home to him._

_He smiled, looking back at Dean who was sprawled across the bed nearest the door – a habit formed when Sam was still around and John could, for once, afford a place with more than one bedroom – and was intensely glad that he was asleep. Loki had seen the younger hunter lose too many nights sleep worrying about Sam in Stanford, even if he didn't voice such thoughts to his Dad._

* * *

"Hey Dean!"

A few minutes later, Dean fell on the floor with a crash. He opened his eyes to find Loki above him with a grin on his face.

"Why did you have to do that?!" He asked, glaring at the Trickster.

"Because you weren't getting up and I got bored."

He got up and pushed Loki out of the way so he could get to the adjoining bathroom, muttering, "Typical."

The last thing Dean heard before he shut the door was Loki's laughter.

* * *

_Loki enjoyed teasing Dean; it reminded him of how Dean used to tease Sam when the Winchesters were younger. But now that Sam was at Stanford and John miles away, Loki felt it was his job to remind Dean that he wasn't alone. He knew from personal experience how being completely alone can mess with someone's head, and he'd rather Dean_ not _go through that._

_So, to this end, he tagged along – invisible of course – as Dean went around questioning the witnesses, and examining the bodies. Loki suspected that Dean knew he was there, but he couldn't prove anything._

* * *

"Were you following me around all day?" Dean asked, flopping backwards onto the bed.

It had been a successful day; it was definitely a werewolf he was hunting from what people told him and the two dead bodies had been conclusive proof of that. But he still wanted to check out the scenes of the occurrences, which probably only confirm his belief that it was a werewolf, though that would have to wait for tomorrow. He was too tired now. The only downside was that the next full moon wasn't for another two weeks.

"Maybe I was, and maybe I wasn't," Loki replied, biting down on his chocolate bar, and then added, "You should probably call John. Tell him it is a werewolf."

"Mmhm. In a minute." Dean's eyes slipped shut.

"Oh no, you are not going to sleep yet!" Loki said, prodding the hunter harshly, "You still have to ring John and have some food!"

"Food?"

"Yes. Food."

* * *

_Loki laughed as Dean ate his burger with obvious gusto._

_"Hungry Dean?" He said._

_All he got for his statement was a finger that Dean managed to put up without letting go of his burger._

_"Not my fault."_

_The answer was muffled but audible, "Fuck you."_

_Loki laughed again._

* * *

Dean was pleased with himself. He had successfully figured out who was the werewolf. It was the waitress that had served him on the first day. He hadn't twigged back then, but now, with his research carefully completed, it was obvious.

It was the night before the full moon, and he was headed for the waitress' apartment block, so he could get the bitch before she killed any more innocent people.

* * *

_"So what are we doing?" Loki asked, looking at Dean from his place in the shotgun seat of the Impala._

_"We're going to kill the werewolf."_

_Loki wondered what it was like to have absolute certainty in what you were doing. He never had that; he was always doubting himself. It was a problem. But, he thought to himself sternly, it would have to be a problem that would have to wait for later, as Dean was cutting the Impala's engine and letting her slide to a gentle stop in from of the waitress's apartment block._

* * *

Dean glanced quickly at Loki before climbing out of the car, shutting the door quietly and going to the boot. Lifting the lid up, he pried the hidden bottom up and stuck a sawed-off shotgun to keep it. He looked over his weapons. Silver was the only thing that killed werewolves, so silver bullets, his favourite gun and silver knife it was.

Loki joined him after a few minutes, just as he was shutting the Impala's boot firmly.

"You looked serious back there," Dean said, jerking his head towards the front seats of the car, "Anything you wanna tell me?"

"Just…" Loki paused, looking – if Dean's thinking was correct, and it usually _was_ – despondent, "I was wondering what it was like to have certainty in what you are doing."

Dean blinked. He'd been expecting other things, but not that. Maybe Loki was more damaged by his voluntary holiday on Earth than he let on.

Dean leant against the Impala's boot, sighing as he said, "I have certainty because this is my job, and if I don't do it, then innocent people will die. And I won't – _can't_ – have that happen, not when I've got the skills to prevent it."

* * *

_After their short conversation, Loki followed Dean into the apartment, now invisible. He was back up for if this went wrong, but Loki had faith in Dean. He was a trained hunter; he could manage one werewolf on his own. Or so Loki told himself as he hovered just behind Dean._

_Dean burst through the bedroom door, gun held at chin height, cocked and ready. The girl screamed before one, two, three silver bullets were fired into her chest. She looked down at the blood rapidly soaking into her lacy pink nightdress and then back up at Dean._

_Loki watched, visible now, as Dean carefully buried the girl in the tiny bit of grass on the side of the road. He should probably say something – a prayer to his Father maybe, but his Father was just as absent as Dean's. He knew it wouldn't do her any good anyway, she was going to heaven. Even as he watched Dean salt and burn the body, Loki knew this._

* * *

The next day, after a good night's sleep, Dean called his Dad.

"Dad?"

"Dean? You get the werewolf?" Dad asked, his voice tinny through the phone's speakers.

"Yeah, I got it."

Dean was painfully aware that Loki was not there with him, and that was distracting.

"Dean!"

He blinked and focused again, "Yes Dad?"

"There's a ghost problem in Odessa. I need you to go and sort it out."

"Odessa, Texas?" Dean confirmed, writing it down on a scrap of paper he found.

"Yeah." His Dad grunted before hanging up.

Dad had never been one for goodbyes, but with Loki missing (not missing, he was the goddamn _Trickster_ for crying out loud), Dean wished fervently that his Dad had said goodbye.

He was lonely. And it had only been one night.

* * *

_Loki watched as Dean made his way to Odessa and rented a motel room out for a week. He watched as his friend – because that what Dean was to him, his_ friend _– searched through dusty books for clues. He watched as Dean found the right person's grave and dig them up, salting and burning them. He watched as Dean checked in with John and got another hunt._

_He couldn't go back though, not yet._

* * *

Dean's hunt after the ghost in Odessa, Texas was a group of witches in Maine. It was a more challenging hunt, but he didn't mind. A more challenging hunt meant less time for him to think about where Loki had gone.

As he got himself a motel room just outside of Augusta, Dean silently wondered if Loki – _Gabriel_ – was watching him.

* * *

_Well, Dean wasn't wrong. Loki was watching him. But he couldn't find the courage inside of him to go and talk to the hunter. Loki wasn't sure what had set this melancholy feeling inside of him off, but he did know for certain that he wasn't going to return to Dean until he'd figured out what it was._

_Loki didn't know how long that would take._

* * *

Loki had been gone for three weeks – since the werewolf case back in Florida – and Dean was lonely. He hated to admit it but he missed Loki. He missed the Trickster because he was _company_ , and someone that wouldn't: a) judge him for being a hunter (like Sammy would), or b) judge him for not being completely right 100% of the time (like Dad would).

Dean sighed and slumped backwards on to the crappy motel bed. He could feel the springs digging into his back, and just knew that he wouldn't be having a good night's sleep. Oh well, wasn't like that hadn't happened before – fuck knows it happened a lot before Sammy went to Stanford, on account of the screaming matches that kept him up unwillingly. He'd never been happy to watch two out of three of his family (he counted Bobby as his Uncle, and damn straight he was) tear into each other. It tore his heart in half.

But thinking like that would never get him anywhere on this case, not when there was a coven of witches to deal with. He didn't really want to do it without Loki, but he didn't really have a choice.

As per _fucking_ usual.

* * *

_Loki was sad that Dean was sad. But, he decided in the spur of the moment decision, he could change that. He could go back to Dean, despite not feeling on top of his game._

_Besides, he told himself as he materialised in the motel room where Dean was, Dean was hunting witches, and it was best to have some back-up._

_(Loki knew it wasn't the real reason; he missed the hunter.)_

* * *

"Hey Dean."

Dean jumped from looking at the newspaper for clues about the witches, "Fucking hell Loki."

Loki laughed, "That was a good one."

"No, it really wasn't." Dean said, smiling despite himself.

"It was."

"It wasn't."

"It was."

"It wasn't."

"Was."

"Wasn't."

"Was."

"Wasn't." Dean stated firmly, ending the argument.

Loki pouted at Dean, who smiled blandly back in response. Dean laughed when his friend pouted like a child.

"You are such a child Loki." He said, smirking.

"You expected anything else from the Trickster?"

"Well..." Dean hesitated, thinking for a brief moment, "No, not really."

* * *

_Loki was happy. He was hunting with Dean again. He still didn't know why he was so down, but he figured that he could try to work that out while the hunter slept. He was an archangel after all, and archangels didn't exactly need sleep._

* * *

Dean was happy that Loki was back annoying the hell out of him. He wasn't alone anymore. He was lonely anymore. He smiled.

"So…what are we doing today?" Loki asked, tilting his head to one side and watching Dean eat his breakfast.

"We are finding these fucking witches that are beginning to kill the men that had cheated on them. I mean, I can see why they did it, but still I've gotta stop them," Dean replied, swallowing a mouthful of black coffee, "I hate witches. Fucking hate 'em."

"Ok then," Loki said, "Where do we start?"

* * *

_Loki accompanied Dean that night after they'd done research on the connections between the victims and found that they all went to the same gym, when it was time to search out the suspected witch's main meeting place. He was happy to be with Dean on the hunt again, even if he wasn't completely sure why he felt like he wasn't doing enough._

_"Hey Loki," Dean said lowly, lock pick in the lock, unlocking the door easily, "Anyone home?"_

_"No," He answered, and then added, sarcastically as the door clicked and Dean pushed it open, "Bit late to be asking now, isn't it?"_

_"Oh shut it Loki!"_

_Loki grinned as he followed Dean into the house, looking around in the dark. He could make out more than Dean could, he'd bet that._

* * *

"Hey Dean!"

"Quiet!" Dean hissed, out of habit, "What've you got?"

"A book and a load of herbs – looks like bay, benzoin, hemlock, and mugwort – plus a load of other stuff, oils and stones with blood on them," Loki answered, matter-of-factly, "Which would explain the evil looking knife."

Dean whistled, "Well, looks like we've found our witches."

"Now what do we do?"

"We find out who the other witches are, and talk to them," Dean replied, humming thoughtfully, "After we burn and chuck this shit."

"Ok."

* * *

_Loki was invisible when Dean confronted the five women about what they were doing. He stayed in the room though, in case any of them tried anything. While Dean lectured them, he thought about whether his family missed him. In all honesty, Loki truly thought that they didn't._

_In twenty minutes, Dean and Loki were in the Impala, roaring down the highway. Dean was on the phone to John. Or at least, Dean was_ trying _to contact his father._

_"Dammit. It's his voicemail," Dean muttered, chucking the phone at Loki, "Again."_

_"I could go and find out for you." Loki offered but Dean shook his head._

_"Nah. It'll be fine. He's probably busy. He'll call back."_

* * *

"Hey Dean." Loki said.

Dean lifted his head slowly – he'd been out the night before and got laid (man, that'd been _awesome_ ) – and blinked at Loki. He said, "What?"

"I think I've found you another hunt."

"Really?" Dean replied, looking more awake than earlier.

"Corpse, recording of the smell of sulfur in the room," Loki explained, pushing the newspaper towards Dean, "And a bunch of…black smoke."

"The fuck?" Dean said, taking the newspaper from his friend, and read the brief newspaper article, frown on his face.

"It's a demon."

"A what?"

Loki sighed, and began to explain, "A demon. They're from Hell, only they can only do that when they're wearing 'meatsuits'. These are humans that the demon takes over, and one of the signs are fully black eyes."

"Ok," Dean nodded, "Where is it?"

"Colorado Springs, Colorado – two thousand, one hundred and eighty miles away." Loki replied grinning.

* * *

_Loki filled Dean in about demons on the day's drive. He told him about holy water and how that burned them, and how salt prevents them from crossing into an area, and how iron can be used against them._

* * *

When they got to Colorado Springs the next day, Dean found a cheap motel and got a room. Once that was sorted, he spread all the crap relating to this hunt across the table. He looked up to find Loki leaning against the wall, sucking on a red lollipop.

"What?"

"You could help."

"Or I couldn't. I've already told you about demons, isn't that enough?" Loki said, smirking.

"Well fine." Dean said, without looking up from his work, "If you're not gonna help me, can you at least get me a cold beer or six?"

"I guess that I could manage."

Loki snapped his fingers and there was a beer in front of Dean. He opened it and took a swig, promptly spitting it out moments later.

Dean swore loudly, "You're a dick Loki!"

Loki laughed.

* * *

_"So the demon is in the sister?" Dean asked._

_"Yep. Definitely." Loki nodded._

_It had been easy for Loki to locate the demon – he_ was _an archangel. Of course, he could see a low-level demon._

_"Ok, so I've got salt and the holy water. Anything else?"_

_"Yeah, this." Loki handed the hunter a piece of paper with an exorcism written in neat capital letters._

_Dean read it aloud, committing it to memory._

**_"'Exorcizamus te, omnis immundus spiritus, omnis satanica potestas, omnis incursio infernalis adversarii, omnis legio, omnis congregation et secta diabolica._ **

**_Ergo, draco maledicte.  
Ecclesiam tuam securi tibi facias libertate servire, te rogamus, audi nos.'"_ **

_"In English," Loki said, "It reads:_

**_'We exorcise you, every impure spirit, every satanic power, every incursion of the infernal adversary, every legion, every congregation and diabolical sect._ **

**_Therefore, cursed demon  
You may make your Church safe to serve you freely, we ask you, hear us.'_ ** _"_

_Dean grinned, "Ok then. Let's kill this son of a bitch."_

* * *

Dean was seriously worried about the lack of contact from his Dad. He should've called back by now. It'd been five weeks since the witches, and one since the demon. He understood that Halloween was just around the corner (a month from now), but even so, a text would suffice, just to let him know that Dad wasn't dead. It was too much of a possibility in their profession.

"Dean."

"Yeah?"

"I could go and check on him, if you like."

"I…nah. He's fine." Dean said, forcing a smile on his face.

"Looks like you're tryna convince yourself there Dean. You sure?"

"Yeah."

* * *

_Loki went outside for a moment to give Dean a bit of space. He also wanted to do a quick check on John, without telling Dean. As much as he hated to admit it, he was also worried about the Winchester's father. He was important to Dean – not as much as Sam was, but still, pretty damn important – and that, by extension, made him important to Loki._

_As he tried to locate the eldest Winchester, he wondered what his own brothers would think of him now – being worried about a single human when there was a whole world of them to fuss over – and then decided not to bother thinking because that would only send him down a whirlpool of discouraging thoughts that he might not be able to get out of._

_"Dean!" He called, as he entered the motel room a few minutes later._

_"Yeah?" The hunter replied, lifting a hand in greeting from his position on the bed._

_"I know you said not to try to find your father but I did it anyway, and I couldn't locate him."_

_Loki watched as the frown on Dean's face became even more pronounced in the dim light of the motel lamp next to the bed._

_"Shit. That's not good."_

_"I know, and I'm worried," Loki paused, aware that his next sentence was going to be hard for Dean to hear, "Because I think he's trying to hunt the thing that killed your mother."_

_"W-what? Seriously?"_

_"Or at least, he's on the trail of it."_

_"I…Shit, this is big."_

_If Dean wasn't already lying down on the crappy motel bed, Loki was ninety-nine percent sure that by now he would've fallen over. That mental image made him want to laugh, but he didn't because this was a_ serious _conversation._

_"Yeah, it is."_

* * *

There was a voodoo problem in New Orleans, Louisiana, and Dean was about halfway there when Loki popped into the shotgun seat of the Impala. Dean didn't jump; he'd gotten used to it in the past year or so. Instead, he simply turned the music down a notch, so he could hear Loki speak.

"Where've you been?" Dean asked, as Loki had disappeared from the motel room in Amarillo the night before.

Loki shrugged, "Here and there. But that's not important. How far are we away from New Orleans?"

"About halfway, give or take," Dean replied, glancing at the archangel briefly, "Could you go and check it out and then come back?"

"What am I? Your slave?" Loki said, raising an eyebrow.

"I have to make do, don't I? Anyway, I'm not asking you to _do_ anything, all I'm asking you to do is scope it out, see if they are any cheap motel nearby and maybe a bar." Dean said.

"Fine."

Dean was always surprised as to how much suffering Loki could put in one word and this time was no exception. And with a click of Loki's fingers, Dean was alone in the Impala again. He grinned, he always enjoyed bossing Loki about, and turned the music up again.

* * *

_Loki did as Dean had asked, and went to New Orleans and scoped out the surrounding area to where the murders had occurred. There was a cheap motel and a couple of bars, one with a pool table, nearby. It didn't take long._

_Once he'd done that, Loki returned to Dean, who had stopped at a roadside café and was tucking into a burger dripping with barbeque sauce and fried onions._

_"Is that nice?" Loki asked, chuckling a little at the look of pure contentment on Dean's face._

_"Mmhm," Dean said, swallowing his mouthful before continuing, "Did you have a look at New Orleans?"_

_Loki rolled his eyes, snapped a red lollipop into existence, and replied, "Yes Dean, I did. There's a couple of bars and a cheap motel. Happy?"_

_Dean, who had taken another bite of his burger, just nodded._

* * *

Dean pulled into the small car park outside the motel. They were in New Orleans, after a six hour drive. But he'd done longer drives with less rest, so it hadn't really been a problem. His legs had cramp though, but that always happened, regardless of how long he was in the car.

"Hey Loki," Dean said, knocking on the passenger window after getting himself a motel room, "C'mon. We're here."

"Coming." Loki mumbled, getting out of the car and shutting the door carefully.

Dean led the way to their room for the foreseeable future. He would be here for as long as it took to find and stop the murderers.

* * *

_Loki listened as Dean made a phone call to John._

_"Yeah, hey Dad. I know I haven't heard from you in a while, but I kinda hope that you're listening to my voicemails. God knows I've left enough of them over the past couple of months. I just wanna know if you're ok. Call me."_

* * *

Dean was seriously worried. He decided that the best way to find his Dad was to enlist the help of Sam. That meant going to Stanford. He set off in the Impala on Thursday, intending to be there by Friday.

* * *

_Loki was surprised; he hadn't thought that Dean would get this worried. (Or desperate, his mind whispered.) He didn't realised just how much Dean missed his father, but then in hindsight, he felt like he should've known. He missed his own Father after all, it made sense for Dean to feel the same way._

* * *

He didn't look away from the windscreen as he spoke, feeling bad for having to do this, but feeling that it was the best option for Loki, "Hey Loki."

"Yeah Dean?"

"You're gonna have to…go away when I reach Stanford cause Sam won't like the fact that I'm friends with the Trickster."

"But I'm not just a Trickster, I'm also an archangel."

"Yeah… He won't like that any better." Dean said, casting a sad look at Loki.

"Oh. Ok then. I've been meaning to go and punish some more people anyway, so it's actually perfect timing," Loki answered, a smile on his face, "I'll be around though Dean, if you want to talk."

Dean smiled, full of sadness though it was, saying, "I'll do that."

"Bye Dean."

With that last goodbye, Loki disappeared from the Impala, leaving Dean with an empty passage seat.

"Bye Loki."

* * *

_Loki had lied to Dean, he didn't have anyone to punish, so instead he just watched the Impala's progress across the country until it reached Stanford and Dean was breaking into Sam's flat. It hurt to see Dean smile because of his brother, but he guessed that he would do the same if he saw any of his brothers, so he guessed that it was ok._

_He decided that some distance would help, so he snapped himself to France and took in the sights whilst sucking at a red lollipop._

* * *

Dean was happy that Sam had agreed to come with him, but he was also sad that he'd had to get rid of Loki. The Trickster had been so much fun at times. He had even (successfully) managed to get Dean to stop worrying about how Sam was doing at Stanford for a bit. For that, Dean would always be grateful.

_"Thank you Gabriel."_ He thought as he pulled away from the curb with Sam in the same passenger seat Loki had vacated only hours before.

* * *

_Miles away, Loki heard the thought aimed at him and smiled._

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> And that's the end of this fanfiction. I'm sad that it's ended, but on the upside, I've finished college for the summer, so whoo!
> 
> Interesting fact about this fanfic: it reached 25 pages on the word doc, and clocks in at just over 10,000 words. :D
> 
> Leave kudos and comments please, they really make my day.


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